It’s no secret that Queen Victoria was a fan of the Isle of Wight. And with
beautiful beaches, diverse coastline and a plethora of holiday activities,
it’s no wonder

The Isle of Wight is enjoying a moment. Whether it’s the fabulous festivals, the gentle pace of life, the enviable sunshine record or the allure of taking the slow boat on holiday, this charming island off the south coast has become a cool place to visit.

"It’s impossible to imagine a prettier spot," said Queen Victoria of her beloved Osborne House at East Cowes – and she could have been speaking of the entire island. I admit to being biased, having grown up there but, for me, there is no lovelier place in England.

Like me, Queen Victoria had a happy time on the island, staying with her family at Osborne House. Now owned by English Heritage and open to the public, it is a temple to high Victorian style – the Indian-influenced Durbar wing is wonderful and the domestic detail in the bedrooms is touching.

Wide lawns and high trees sweep down to the sea, and visitors have access to Victoria’s private beach and bathing machine. The Swiss Cottage in the grounds, once the playhouse of the royal children, will reopen this year with improved displays, and there are new nature trails in the lovely grounds.

Related Articles

Meanwhile, Charles I’s visit to Carisbrooke Castle wasn’t exactly a holiday choice. He was imprisoned in the 800-year-old building while awaiting his trial and execution and you can still see the window from which he tried unsuccessfully to escape.

The Hut at Colwell Bay boasts panoramic terrace views of a yacht-filled Solent. It’s a great spot for an evening drink This imposing site is in the premier league of English castles, with much of the keep and battlements still standing. Children love watching the resident donkeys operate the wheel to pull up water from the well, and there will be Cavalier and Roundhead re-enactments and events from May 27 to June 1. You can even stay in the castle, in one of the English Heritage apartments.

Like all the best islands, the Isle of Wight takes things at its own pace. It’s a journey of less than an hour to cross the Solent – and only 10 minutes if you catch the passenger hovercraft from Southsea to Ryde. Step off or drive down the gangplank and 60 miles of beautiful beaches and diverse coastline are waiting to be discovered – on foot, by bike, on horseback or from the sea.

Beside the seaside: take in the island’s coast from a kite surfboard

If you’re travelling around by car, accept that you’re unlikely to reach for top gear more than a couple of times a day. Instead, get into pottering mode and take time to enjoy the views from the Roman-built Military Road which stretches from Blackgang to Freshwater Bay and curves Corniche style across grassy cliffs that dip and roll down to a white-flecked sea. Or follow narrow lanes through leafy chutes, past medieval manor houses, ornate Victorian mansions, rose-swagged cottages – even the remains of a Roman villa.

In the space of an hour you can travel from the high chalk downs that form the spine of the island to bird-rich salt marshes at Newtown, from the bucket-and-spade cheerfulness of Sandown and Shanklin to the open sands of Compton Bay, backed by National Trust countryside.

There are red squirrels in the ancient woods, Mediterranean plants flourish among the dramatic landslips of the Undercliff, and fleets of sailing dinghies bob on their moorings in the chipper little sailing centres of Seaview, Bembridge and Yarmouth.

Catching waves: visit Compton Bay for a spot of surfing

Children love the adventure of travelling to an island – and there’s plenty here to fire their imagination. There’s a spectacular Needles Park chairlift ride at Alum Bay, a brilliant new Train Story Discovery Centre at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and at Blackgang Chine (one of the leafy, ferny gorges that are a feature of the coast) is England’s oldest theme park. It boasts a cliff-edge roller coaster, life-sized Pirate Ships, Cowboy Town, Fairy Land, Dodo Valley and, new for 2014, the Restricted Area 5 dinosaur adventure.

There are hundreds of real dinosaur remains at Dinosaur Isle in Sandown. The island’s crumbling cliffs make it one of the best places in Europe to find fossils and dinosaur bones, and many of the most impressive are on show here, among clever interactive displays designed to appeal to all ages. Museum staff lead regular fossil walks on island beaches, searching for new finds.

Happily the island’s hotels, B&Bs and cottages are not of the Cretaceous age but very much of the 21st century. Some, such as the excellent Hillside at Ventnor and Little Gloster, right on the water in Gurnard, are furnished in light, bright seaside style.

Sixty miles of beautiful beaches and diverse coastline are waiting to be discovered The Hambrough in Ventnor offers boutique accommodation and fine dining and North Court, a B&B in a manor house in the village of Shorwell, sits in 15 acres of grounds (open to guests) like the Lost Gardens of Heligan in miniature. Vintage Vacations has some quirky rental properties (including a former mission hall and several Airstream caravans).

Good hotels include the Seaview Hotel, in the smart little sailing resort of Seaview, Priory Bay, just along the coast, the Royal Hotel in Ventnor and The George in Yarmouth.

Much of the island is farmland and restaurants make the most of local produce. The Taverners Inn at Godshill swaps pints of beer for home-grown fruit and vegetables from regulars’ gardens and allotments. And why go abroad when you can eat alfresco at The Crab Shed at peaceful Steephill Cove?

Last July, I discovered The Hut, a new bar and restaurant right on the beach at Colwell Bay with panoramic terrace views of a yacht-filled Solent. It’s a great spot for an evening drink.

My favourite way to explore the island is on foot, whether it’s walking beside the crashing waves on Compton Beach, on the blustery heights of Culver or Tennyson Downs or among the reeds and watery marshes of quiet Newtown creek. This is the way to see the Isle of Wight at its best. And it’s better than anywhere I know.

FESTIVAL ISLE

The Isle of Wight festivals from 1968-70, when Jimmy Hendrix and Bob Dylan wowed the tie-dyed crowds, established an island tradition. There are now countless year-round festivals. Some examples...